Christmas Memories 2013

It's one of those Christmas miracles.  I am in the office with the door closed.  Everyone knows I am in here--and yet--and YET!--no one is calling me to come out! 

So, I will bask in this time of peace and share some photos from our Christmas.

 

As you can see, it was a pretty exciting Christmas for Nathan, with the foosball table AND Magic Slushy makers.  I don't have a picture of the boys with their BB guns yet.  I must get that done.  "Going Hunting" has been a great vacation activity!

Here is our Joachim family on Christmas Eve. 

Later on Christmas Day, we celebrated with the extended Melius family from the area.  Lots and lots of cousins!

 

To keep with the family theme, Teresa created this snow family yesterday. :)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  We hope your days were filled with the warmth and peace of family and friends.  We would like to report a Christmas of absolute health this year!  Wohoo!

We are enjoying these days of shooting birds with BB guns, playing foosball, Wii, watching new movies and playing with the myriad of other wonderful gifts that found their way in to our home.  Oh, yeah, and there's some sheet rock and mud going up on the walls, too! 

I am finding it difficult to come off the sugar train . . . chocolate covered pretzels, pfefferneuse cookies, peanut butter blossoms . . . and that's just for breakfast! 

We will find our way back to the normal routine of life again, but for now it's nice to take some time to catch our breath and soak up the Christmas season!

Things are looking up.

My, my, my . . . what have we been doing?

My husband keeps plugging away on our kitchen and dining room remodel that we officially began on Dec. 7. 
I'm not gonna lie--last week was pretty darn bad. 
Right away, hauling out shovels full of plaster and filling up the loader bucket was FUN! 
Then the next morning, I woke up with the kids' stomach bug.  I was still able to contribute, but it wasn't as much fun.  And there was NO END to that awful old plaster and sheetrock.  Then, even though this is what I wanted to happened, the stress of my house looking like a war zone got to me and I started to develop a cold sore.  The next day, David didn't feel well, but we still got work done because we had to stay on schedule.  It was de-insulation day! 

I HATE yellow insulation.  And blow-in insulation.  And old 1950's insulation. 

Seven days after we first moved downstairs, we finally hauled the last bits of plaster, nails, insulation and wood out of this house.  It was Rachel's birthday, so we went into town to celebrate!

If my life had a soundtrack, Billy Joel's "You may be right . . . I may be crazy . . ." would have been playing.  All. Week.  Long.

But, then it started to turn around.  We now have a re-insulated home and sheetrock will go up shortly!

I really am enjoying the pace of this remodel.  In years past, it was "work a little bit, wait 6 weeks while the farm work got done, work a little bit, try to be patient for the next 6 weeks of no progress. . ."  But, not this time!  I have to be on my toes making sure all parts are in place because THINGS ARE HAPPENING!

Tomorrow is the kids' last day of school before Christmas vacation.  It is a long one this year.  We should be able to keep them busy with paint brushes. Their favorite way to help, however, is to watch TV and "babysit Rachel."  It all needs doing, I suppose!  :) 

I do want to mention a big blessing for our family this past week.  After the Christmas program at church on Sunday, the Youth Group surprised us with a "20 second Bucket Run."  When one of the parents started to explain the concept, I had no idea it was in honor of our family, and especially Rachel.  I didn't have much time to process it before kids were running around the parish hall, people were emptying their pockets and waving money and at the end of 20 seconds, $158.09 was collected for the Cranio Care Bears organization.  It really brought me to tears.  It was the perfect Christmas gift.

In all of the chaos in our house right now, we have still had a blessed Advent.  The only stress I have right now is getting some last-minute shopping done.  I'm usually not a last-minute shopper, but demo and not feeling well ate up last week very quickly!  So, last minute it shall be this year! 

Rachel is 2!

Happy Birthday, Rachel!  Our baby is 2. She is everyone's favorite little sister and she enjoys that title very much. 

We celebrated with birthday pancakes this morning.  Grandma and Grandpa Melius joined us before going to cousin Lydia's party later today.  They share a birthday, along with Great Uncle Doyle, so it is a good day for birthdays in the Melius family!

I found these great handmade tents at the craft fair this fall and the pink John Deere print had Rachel's name all over it. 

 

Happy Birthday, Rachel!

 

Progress

Here are a few more works of art from our gallery.  Nathan drew the football game, big hairy spider, and the flower.  He's a kid of many talents!  Landen drew the little United States map next to the big hairy spider, of course, and Teresa made the two princesses holding hands.

 

 

 I don't plan on posting much for the remainder of the month because I have been hired on the D. Melius & Family Construction Crew.  We're all moved into our little basement kitchen.  It's all snug and cozy and as convenient as possible. 

This is what remains of the upstairs kitchen.  You can see its whole history here--the green and gold paneling, the white I painted shortly after we were married, and the tan I reached over my pregnant belly to paint in 2007. 

I have had the same verse written on the kitchen door since last spring.

The time has come!  Wohoo!

Write it on the chimney . . . and the walls!

The kids have their first snow day of the year today.  Nathan and Teresa were especially excited to go out and play in the snow this morning.  

I prepared for the worst as Nathan started getting dressed. 

Usually Nathan's first winter experience involves him writhing on the floor kicking and crying because nothing fits right. 

He put on the new gloves and said, "They fit perfect." 

Wait.  Whaaaat? 

 I was so excited, I ran to alert his father. 

 "What should we do?" he asked. 

"My Grandma Joachim would say, "'Write it on the chimney,' I answered. 

(I really don't know where that saying came from, but it's always something my Grandma has said when something unusual happens.)  

And so, David grabbed a Sharpie and did just that! 

 

 

 

Operation Remodel is in its infancy, and to entice the boys to rip off the bottom wall trim, I told the kids they could write on the dining room walls when they were finished. 

Now it was their turn for "Wait.  Whaaaaat?"

We will have some very interesting artwork for the next few days.

All of the kids had fun working on their murals.

 

It's a first for any snow day here!

Teresa's first lost tooth

We did have some happy news tonight.  Teresa lost her first tooth!  Landen lost one of his in school today, too.  Nathan has a loose one. 

 

Watch for falling teeth!

My Uncle Sonny

My Uncle Sonny passed away this morning. 
I first met him when my parents took me along on their trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when I was about 4 years old.  I instantly loved him.  He asked me what I wanted for breakfast, and after I requested tuna fish and bacon, that's what we had.  Even at a young age, the way to my heart was through yummy food. 
Shortly after we returned home from that trip, I began writing letters to Uncle Sonny and Aunt Carol, a practice that continues to this day.  I wrote more letters to them than anyone else in my life.  I shared all of the little and big things of growing up with them from my small town existence in South Dakota.  Sonny commented on the frequent smiley faces I would include, something I now do on my keyboard. :)
I only actually spent time with Sonny a handful of times.  He did not like to fly, so Aunt Carol would always come back to South Dakota each year alone.  When he did come back with her, it was always an event.  He would entertain my aunts and uncles with his comedy in my grandparents' kitchen, cook his fabulous southern seafood like NO ONE ELSE.  We talked too fast for his Southern drawl, but he adapted.  His presence was always a rare treat for us all.  A native of Mississippi, he gave us a different perspective on life. 
I had the wonderful privilege to attend Sonny's baptism and confirmation as he was received into full communion with the Catholic Church in 1999.  My mom, sister, grandparents, and I flew down to spend a long Easter weekend with them in Baton Rouge.  I will always treasure that time we spent together.  In typical Sonny fashion, it didn't matter that he had many responsibilities that weekend.  He asked each of us what we wanted to eat, wrote up a menu, and made sure each of us were adequately fed before our departure back to South Dakota. 
This is all too soon--it always is.  We knew his time was getting short.  I was hoping to get to see him one last time, but that time will have to wait until we get to the other side. 
I don't know if souls eat in heaven, but if they do, I am sure they are enjoying one huge and wonderful Southern feast today--shrimp at least four of five different ways, catfish, crawdads, black beans and rice, and hush puppies.  Maybe even tuna fish and bacon.
I love you, Uncle Sonny.
I will see you again.
And I'll have a menu ready.

Happy Giving THANKS Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've really been trying to be grateful this year.  I know it sounds silly, but (despite my very recent promise to God that I would never ask for anything again), I spent the beginning of this year not feeling very grateful at all.  I threw myself one heck of a pity party.  It seemed like everyone around me was snapping their fingers and *poof* getting what they wanted immediately.  Not so in this girl's life. 

Yes, I was grateful for our family's health and all of the important things, but I wanted some FUN stuff and to have FUN sometimes, too, like EVERYONE else!

Well, I eventually made it out of that funk.  It wasn't a specific light bulb moment, but a couple of things helped get me back on track. 

One day, "You're not missing out" was posted on a daily thought Dayspring.com.  With that, I realized this--someone's NOW may be my LATER or it may be my NEVER.  That is up to God to decide.  Similarly, my NOW may be someone else's LATER or their NEVER.  God makes each of us equipped to handle what He has in store for us--the good and the bad.  I'm not missing out.  I'm not.  I put in on my fridge and it has been a good reminder when I start to slip slightly back into that attitude. 

It also didn't hurt that our Well-Read Mom book club has read The Good Earth and A Lantern in Her Hand, both of which portrayed farming families nearly dying of starvation and facing hard lives we can only imagine.  As we sipped our chai tea, we all realized we don't have one tiny thing to complain about.

So, I am thankful for both the big and small things that I so often take for granted.  (And I did receive plenty of FUN this year, too.  I just needed to put on my patience pants and wait a little bit.) 

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."  Yes, I KNOW that.

But, sometimes it's easy to forget. 

If you are reading this, I am thankful for YOU and how you have touched my life. :)

Big news

There's big news in our house.
Rachel has moved into her big girl bed!  In fact, Landen helped me dismantle and carry the crib out of the house this morning, so there is no turning back. 
(I have plenty of crib crafting options pinned from Pinterest, but crib renovation will have to wait until this house project is done.  I just can't bear to part with it, so it will wait in storage until I am ready!) 
There was a little trouble adjusting last night, for Rachel anyway.  She usually takes everything in stride, so the fact that she fussed about it for a whole half hour or so was pretty surprising.  But, after we got her to realize it was bed time and not play time, and big sister calmed down because little sister was TOO NOISY, all was well until morning.
She is napping peacefully in there right now.
David will be so excited to come home and see that the office is all his again.  (Didn't I post about David reclaiming his office once before?  Yes, I did.) :) 

Next up . . . seriously potty training.
But, let's just take it one big step at a time!

The circle of life

I love the cyclical nature of our lives.  For many years, my life followed the cycle of the school year.  Now, as our children are in school, it does once again, with the more dominant cycle of the seasons in farming.  I find comfort in that. 

I especially love it this time of year, as the traditions and recipes that create our lives around Thanksgiving and Christmas are predictable, comforting and fun!  I have our favorite pumpkin pies in the freezer waiting for Thanksgiving Day.  The Semi-Homemade Gingerbread Cookies will be making an appearance very soon. 

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of traveling back to my home church to experience the delectable angel food cake with butter sauce that has become a staple in the Christmas Bazaar menu since it was introduced many, many years ago.  I don't have that recipe to share . . . that may be top secret . . . and since it includes lots of butter and whole milk, it's best to only be eaten once a year anyway! 

What are your special once a year treats?  Please share!

Gingerbread houses

What else have we been doing?

We spent one of our evenings making gingerbread houses!  This time went much better than the first time we did it two years ago. 

This is mostly because the elves (obviously very intelligent women) at the Wilton company now make these PRE-ASSEMBLED!  All the fun and none of the frustration of walls falling in and having to wait for the mortar to dry. 

We did have one casualty as Rachel sat on her box and crushed her house, but we gave her a few broken pieces, frosting and candy and she didn't care one little bit!

These came with a great plenty of frosting and candy to decorate each house, and we filled in with some extra decorations, too. 

 

This mom just may be ready to bring this project into the tradition rotation. :)

 

 

Angels watching over us

Teresa is always creating a masterpiece.  She is hardly ever without a marker, crayon, scissors or glue in her hand.  She has been that way since she first started drawing her "people"--scribbles with sticks pointing down.  Her drawings have come a long way since then!

 

When she found out we were sending presents to babies like Rachel who are having surgery, she got to work right away making pictures for them.  She sent two angels and a present. 

 

Stuffing her nose

I have to document that today--11/19/13--Rachel decided to stuff her peas from her lunch up her nose.  I have no idea what possessed her to do this.  Even worse, I was sitting right beside her for most of it and didn't even see her!
As I took her out of her highchair, I noticed she was acting funny and I saw a couple of pieces in her nose.  I took them out and then saw another in there.  I cleared that nostril and found another in her other nostril.  I thought I had them all, so I looked up her nose with a flashlight and found another one!  I had at least five in the end . . . maybe six. 
We are always telling her to get her finger out of her nose. 

Fingers are better than peas!

Frozen Apple Coffee Cake

Here's the recipe I promised you.  We all love this recipe shared by a friend.

Frozen Apple Coffee Cake

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

1 cup sour cream

2 cups chopped raw apples

Cream together shortening and sugar.  Add eggs, soda, baking powder, vanilla, salt, flour and sour cream.  Fold in apples.  Divide into 2 8x8 greased and floured pans.  (I used round.) 

Topping:  2 T butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)

MUST FREEZE BEFORE BAKING.

Bake 1 hour at 350. 

Just like her brother.

Just by looks alone, Rachel gets compared to Landen a lot.  It turns out they have even more in common.  Landen spent much of his pre-talking time pointing to letters on our shirts, signs . . . everywhere.  When he started talking, he knew all of his letters and numbers, including the big "t" in the front of church. :)

Rachel now does the same thing.  She loves the PBS Kids show Super Why, which teaches several letters and sounds per episode.  She also loves the magnetic letter sounds toy that all of the kids have had.  We may be missing a few letters now, but she can pick up those later. :) 
This morning, she pointed to an "S" on my shirt and said, "Ssssss."  That was pretty neat.  Then, tonight, I put on her pajamas that say "JOY" on the front.  She looked down, pointed to the middle letter, and said, "O." 

Yep, just like her brother. 

Let's hope she potty trains a bit more easily. :)

Happy Cranioversary!

Today marks one year since Rachel's surgery. 

I recently found these top pictures on David's phone.  I'm sure he sent them out when we were in the hospital, but I hadn't seen them before.  The first is in the PICU right after they took her off the ventilator the morning after surgery.  The second is a few days later when her eyes were swollen shut, but she was still smiling. 

She's one tough cookie. 

There were so many blessings while we were there, especially the time spent with our family who live in the Rochester area.  Their support, and the support we received through Facebook, email, phone calls, texts, care packages, cards and prayers was very much appreciated.

 

There are days I wish I could just walk into the St. Mary's Hospital Chapel again. The chapel was such an amazing and beautiful place of peace for me. I am thankful for the photo I was able to get as the sunlight was pouring in the afternoon after surgery. 

We have received lots of great things in the past few weeks to pass along to Cranio Care Bears for their care packages.  Thank you!!

 

I've been here many times before

And love's always carried me through

To the other side, where it's easier to see the way

His hand provides just in time to save the day

And I realize the mountains I was scared to climb

Aren't as big as I thought they were

When I'm on the other side . . . .

 

Every chapter that we've been through

Has taught me to rely on you

Jesus teach me that again.

 

-The Other Side by Jason Gray

 

35

 

Today I turn 35.

 

Last night, we had a birthday supper at my parents-in-law.  My kids surprised me with 35 balloons and jumping out of laundry baskets and boxes.  It was great!

 

I spent the day with David shopping for house stuff, so that was really great, too.

 

Today is a beautiful ordinary day at home with Rachel.

 

We are not driving to Rochester like last year, so we are very happy about that.

 

Ahh. . . 35??  I certainly don't feel 35, still around 28, I think.  What changes when you turn 35?  Doctors refer to you in "advanced maternal age" in childbearing years.  Ouch.  Not that I plan to bear any more children, but to have my age qualified as "advanced" stings a bit. :) 

 

Thank you all for the birthday greetings on Facebook, email, and cards in the mail.

 

My life is BLESSED by you!

Share a smile.

As you know, good or bad, I really like Amazon.com.  My Landen is beginning to be an Amazon nut, too, when it comes to buying new items for his train set. 

I just learned something exciting and new about Amazon, too.  If you go to www.smile.amazon.com, you can choose your favorite registered organization to receive .5% of your purchases!  All you do is click on your favorite charity, and it will remember it each time you return to smile.amazon.com.  You can choose a different charity each time you shop if you want to, too.  It may not sound like a lot, but it could really add up after Christmas shopping is complete! 

I just love these little ways of helping each other that don't cost us a thing!

Nathan's 8th Birthday

Our Nathan turned 8 years old yesterday!  He is really growing up . . . and got glasses on Friday!  Not suprisingly, he decided that they are now "too big" and conveniently left them at home this morning. 

 We gave him what he has been asking for every day since last June--Skylanders. He was so excited, he said we never have to get him another present ever again!! It's fun to see him so excited, although he won't be playing unlimited hours every day like he got to do for his birthday!

Grandpa and Grandma Melius joined us for our Sunday popcorn and peanut butter and jelly.  The past few Sundays, we have been enjoying delicious suppers instead.  No matter how good it was, Nathan is always disappointed when anything takes the place of his favorite no-cook Sunday supper!

Happy Birthday, Nathan! 

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Landen decided that he was too old for such things this year, so I at least talked him into being a half-hearted cowboy.  Teresa was a cat, Nathan a ninja (except for part of the costume that was *surprise* too itchy), and Rachel was a 50's waitress.

Our travels after school brought us to Grandma and Grandpa Melius' house for cake and pizza.

After that, it was on to trick or treating!  Since Landen didn't go and Rachel fell asleep before we got there, I just had two little ambassadors to send around town gathering candy for the family.  As usual, they had to be reminded of the rules--porch lights on, wait at the door, say thank you, just take a couple if they hand you the bowl. . . they did very well.  Nathan looked out for his sister and we have very generous people in our little town. 
My favorite line was from Nathan.  They were at a house with a big bowl of candy on the porch.  I was waiting at the end of their walkway and they had both been on the porch for quite a long time.  I called them back and Nathan said that since the bowl was still pretty full, he took a lot because he "didn't want them to feel bad."  :) 
At our last stop near our house, they were both so excited.  They told me, "They told us to take as much as we wanted, and they MEANT it!" 
I have wonderful memories of trick or treating with my cousins and our dads growing up.  Now this tradition has fallen on me, but I don't mind.  It's fun every year as we get to say "Hi" to many people we don't see often.  Our community gets to see the local children, which they don't get to often since the school closed.  (I think we have more young children around here now than we did then!) 
It's always a busy day full of birthdays, costumes, treats, and cake.  But, it's always a great day.

Happy 6th Birthday, Teresa!

 Today our 6lb. 6 oz. baby girl turns 6! 

Happy Birthday to our Teresa Rosemarie!

Pumpkin/Squash bread

I officially concluded apple season yesterday with a bang--an apple crisp and two batches of apple sauce.  Apples are so patient . . . I only lost a few to becoming mushy in the past several weeks.  I also tried a new frozen coffee cake recipe recently, which was interesting because it MUST be frozen before it can be baked.  We haven't tried any of those yet, but I will share when we do!

 

The logical step, when one has closed the door on apple season, is to enter PUMPKIN season! 

Well, technically, I entered squash season, but it all tastes the same.  (Shh!  Don't tell my family.) 

I found a recipe with no added fat on Pinterest, courtesy of www.domesticrevolt.blogspot.com and, as I usually do, tweaked it just a bit, using whole wheat flour and cutting back on the sugar a little bit.

 

Low Fat Pumpkin (or Squash) Bread

 

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp ginger

1 15 oz. can pumpkin OR 2 cups cooked pumpkin or squash

2 eggs

1/8-1/4 cup water

 

Beat together the eggs, pumpkin/squash, and water.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until moistened.  Pour into a well-greased loaf pan, making an indentation in the center (my grandma's tip).  Bake on the center rack at 325 degrees for 80-90 minutes or until the center is done.  Cool. 

Only 2 more days!

Are you ready for Halloween?

We have our scary jack o' lanterns ready to go for the big day!

Helping each other on the journey

This morning, Rachel and I were driving along the highway, commenting on tractors, bales, and all things farm related, when my van sent me a message.  LOW PRESSURE. 
Ugh. 
Thankfully, we were just a few miles from our destination, so we pulled into the gas station and found out that we would need a new tire. 
Obviously, this was not in my plan at all.  I had planned to get a few groceries, a bridal shower gift, and head back home before lunch.
Well, we still did those things, but that was after I enteretained Rachel in the gas station with a huge chocolate chip cookie and plastic jack o'lantern decorations for what seemed like a very long time. 
It was while we waited that a man from our town came in the station.  He had undergone a major surgery in the summer of 2012 and I had followed his Caringbridge site and had left a few brief comments throughout his long recovery, as he and his wife were far away from home for many weeks.  We've seen each other since then, but we hadn't actually talked.
He told me how much that meant to him that I took an interest in his story and recovery.  I told him how much he helped me, as I was so scared for Rachel's upcoming surgery and I was inspired by his experiences.
I didn't know my comments meant so much to him and he didn't know that he was helping me, too, at the same time.

It never ceases to amaze me how God connects us all. 

Thank God for flat tires.
And giant chocolate chip cookies.
And reminders of His presence in our lives.

Chores

It was such a beautiful October day, we all went out to feed the calves today!

Show and Tell

I am OK with the fact, that at this point of my life, Pinterest IS my hobby.  I sit down at the end of the day, pin a few things to my boards, and all is right with the world.  But, recently, I found something that I had a place for and HAD to try.  The girls needed a place for their books in their new room.

 

I didn't follow the measurements exactly as they were given.  I went to the Menard's scrap pile and chose pieces of wood that were the same length (so no sawing would be involved).  The pattern had a 1" piece in the front to hold the books, but I liked these little pieces of trim board instead. 

All I did was sand the rough edges, glue each piece to the front and back, clamped each part until it was dry, and then screwed each part together with 1 1/2" screws to make sure it would be secure.  After that, I painted them and screwed them to the wall using my trusty laser level/stud finder for guidance. 

(The basket on the bottom is from my failed attempt at hanging flowers. Now it is a book holder!)

I love that they hold several books and the books are all still visible.  For now, it is also fun for Teresa to have a place to put her books away and keep them off the floor. 

 

 

(The Day on the Farm book is from my childhood.  It's still one of my favorites.)

Pheasant Opener 2013

You know the drill.  First, we all fill up on a huge pancake brunch.

 

 

 

Then, it's time to separate the hunters from the coffee drinkers/eaters/shoppers, of which I am one.  There is no photo of us.  We were too busy with the above.  :)

 

The Melius Hunters (and a few extras)

 

We brought something new to the family weekend this year.  We decided to celebrate all 6 of our birthdays at once and bring in a couple of inflatables to boost the party yesterday. 

Wohoo!  It was FUN for everyone.  I even bounced a few times.  How often do you have your own bounce houses in your shop?  It was a first for us!

(Rachel gets by with a little help from her cousins.)

 

 

opening weekend

One of my favorite weekends of the year will soon be here!  It's the one where we send the men and older children off to walk the fields and trees in search for birds we have no desire to eat.  While they do that, I get to relax with the women, who have the much better gig-- coffee, sweet treats, conversation and shopping!

It's always a nice little break in the fall.  We will have our Melius birthday bash on Sunday, too.  It's time to celebrate family, friends and our birthday blessings.

I can't wait.

Cranioversary Care Package

Rachel's one year cranioversary is fast approaching.  The months leading up to her surgery drug on, but the following months have gone by quickly.  We are so very thankful for all who prayed for her and our family and who continue to do so.  I want to do something to celebrate this special one year anniversary and the best way I can think of is to send a care package donation to the Cranio Care Bears .  Would you like to join me??? 

According to the site:  "Typical items in our care packages are socks for mom & baby, toiletries, toys, teethers, snacks, gum, chap stick, body wash, tissues, etc. We also send homemade hats, blankets, pillow cases and prayer chains. If you are a crafty person and would like to make something, we would love to include them!"

(The prayer chains are made from pieces of ribbon that people send in with inspirational quotes or verses they have written on them.) 

Although they don't specify, from personal experience, it is especially good to have a toy with textures or some sound for the days when baby's eyes are swollen shut following surgery. 

If you would like to send a little something, prayer chain ribbons, or $$ along, too, you can give them or send them to me before November 14.  I'm looking forward to sending on some love from South Dakota!! 

Cranio Care Bears is also currently holding a raffle. A $20 ticket buys a chance to win a trip for 2 to Mexico, a Coach purse, as well as other prizes.  There is a live shopping event/fundraiser next Saturday in Loveland, CO, so if you're in the area, stop by. :)  Here's the link to purchase a ticket online:  http://shop.craniocarebears.org/products/raffle.

I love the new onesie they put up on their site yesterday.  Yes, room for a brain to grow = PRICELESS!

It's all about chemistry. Not crazy.

A few weeks ago, I was getting pretty tired of my lower back and hip pain.  It wasn't terrible; I was still able to function, but it was starting to get worse and was  keeping me from falling asleep at night.  Should I go to a chiropractor?  That seemed like such a drastic step to take.  It wasn't THAT bad.  Besides, it was a bad time of year, being harvest, and I would have to find a place for Rachel.  I could survive without feeling better. 
Even so, I finally made an appointment with a local chiropractor I had never gone to before.  I was so nervous, because the last time I had seen a chiropractor was probably 25 years ago, and I thought he'd probably tell me there wasn't anything wrong with me.  Even as I was sitting in the waiting room before the appointment, I was thinking, "I don't really need to be here." 
As it turns out, I did need to be there.  The chiropractor was very nice and explained what he thought was bothering me.  If I had waited longer, it would have turned into a bigger problem.  After a couple of sessions on the HydroMassage table (Wow!) and some adjustments, I was feeling much better. 

This week is National Mental Health Awareness Week, and in thinking about that, it struck me that the two situations are very much the same. 

We have come a long way in overcoming the stigma of mental illness, but there is still a long way to go.  Mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. 
It is NOT a weakness. 
It does NOT mean you are crazy, bad, or an unfit parent. 
It does NOT mean you can just think happy thoughts and get over it. 
It does NOT mean you simply need more faith. 

If you had a bad heart valve, I wouldn't tell you to go home and get more faith in your life.  Don't get me wrong, prayer is a HUGE part of coming out of depression, but I think we also need to pay attention to how God has already answered these prayers, though the understanding we now have of these imbalances and ways, medically and naturally, that can treat them and the medical professionals He has given to help us with these treatments.

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, it took me awhile to seek help for my Post Partum Depression 10 years ago because
1.)  I could still function.  I was miserable, but I could still function. 
2.)  It was a bad time. (Yes, harvest.) 
3.)  Even though I often felt miserable at home, when I was in public, I often felt better, so I didn't want to waste a doctor's time with my "little" problem. 
4.)  I thought my baby would hate me for how I was feeling. 
5.)  I thought everyone would think I was a bad mom. 

Because I had experienced anxiety at other times during childhood and adolescence (although I didn't know it had a name then), I knew things that had helped me in the past.  I tried talking to people, my husband, my mom, a school counselor friend, our parish priest, but it ultimately didn't help me much.  Within that time, David's cousin's baby son died unexpectedly.  The news brought sadness, of course, but also guilt because I should have been thankful for my own son.  I remember after finally (maybe 2 weeks, but it felt like forever) making an appointment with our family doctor, thinking, "It's hopeless anyway.  I've already tried talking to people and trying the things they suggested and I still feel the same.  He won't be able to help me either." 

Dr. Jundt gave me what I thought I didn't want, but what I needed, an antidepressant.  It took a couple of weeks to work, but I slowly felt the fog of panic, fear, sadness and hopelessness lift and I wasn't just functioning.  I was living again, and enjoying my husband and new son. 

After the school closed a few months later, I was home full time and not liking this new forced change in my life.  This time, Dr. Jundt suggested a counselor.  I agreed to it, as I had seen counselors at other times in my life and it had always helped me.  I felt pretty silly, though, because I wasn't THAT bad.  I was just going to waste her time.  I just knew it.  Well, as it turned out I didn't.  I learned a lot in the few months I saw her and still use what I remember when I am feeling the anxiety creep in again.  I remember her telling me, "You're not a basket case.  Very few people who I see actually are."  It was such a relief to realize that I deserved help; I didn't have to feel totally out of control before I was worthy to get better. 

Over the years, I have been off and on antidepressants due to preventing PPD again, or to help deal with difficult life events as we lived through last year with the loss of our nephew and Rachel's subsequent craniosynostosis diagnosis.  I am currently off and doing well with prayer, better nutrition and exercise.  Like I said, I still use the tools I learned through counseling, so now when I do feel anxiety creeping in, I can usually keep it at bay.  If something does come up, I am not afraid or ashamed to go back on the Zoloft if I need it. 

If I hadn't gotten the help I did when I did, I would still be battling it today.  And that wouldn't have been a fun 10 years for anyone.  It also would be a MUCH bigger problem now and much more difficult to treat. 

I tell you my story again, not to bore you, but to share that if you struggle with anxiety, depression, or any other mental illness, please make an appointment with your doctor or a counselor.  Even if you feel like you aren't THAT bad.  If it interferes with your life, relationships, eating or sleeping, it is worth asking about.  If your doctor says, "It's all in your head." and you still don't feel well, talk to someone else. 

Now, you can go on just surviving, and some people take a lot of pride in that they don't need any medication, counseling, or other intervention for their mental illness.  In reality, though, people who feel this way often DO need it; they just don't take it.  Last time I checked, these people didn't get any special prize at the end of the day. 

For more information on chemical imbalances, I recommend Blue Genes, by Dr. Paul Meier, as it is a great source of information on the brain chemicals and how they affect mood.  It is very easy to understand with many examples from his practice.

A fiction book, but a very accurate look at living with depression, is Becoming Olivia, by Roxanne Henke. 

Of course, you can also message or email me if I can help in any way or direct you to someone. 

If you are affected by a chemical imbalance, or think you might be, YOU are worth it to get better. 

And YOU WILL.

Corn Harvest

 

We moved onto corn about a week ago.  David's brothers are here this week helping out, so it is fun to have them, and two of our nieces, around to visit.

 

As you can see, Rachel also thinks the combine is a great place to nap.  I've often thought so myself, but somehow it just isn't appropriate for mom. :(

 

We wish you a Happy Harvest!

 

 

Mmm. . . Delicious!

"Mmm. . . Delicious!" is Rachel's seal of approval for everything yummy.  Of course, only I know that she's trying to say "delicious," because I'm her Mama and we speak the same language. :)

 

Today we made my favorite Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from my childhood.  I thought I had posted these before, but it turns out I have not!  I much prefer these to regular chocolate chip cookies, and that is probably because it's the only chocolate chip cookie my mom made when I was little.  Then my sister came along and we expanded our horizons to chocolate chip cookies without oatmeal. 

I now make both for my family, and I'm not known to dislike any cookie, but as I said, these are my favorite.

 

Sharing this recipe is long overdue, so here you go!

 

You will say, "Mmm. . . Delicious," too!

 

 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs (well beaten)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp hot water

1 tsp soda

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups quick oatmeal

1 1/2 cup flour

1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Mix in order.  Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees until slightly browned.  (My Airbake pan takes about 14 minutes.) 

Daddy turns 36

Yesterday was David's 36th birthday.  Yes, for a little while I am married to a MUCH older man. :)

 

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Reunited

I didn't last very long . . . 3 days short of a month to be exact.

Today the appliance repairman came out and managed to get our dishwasher going.  One.  More.  Time.  Who knew the old friend had a little more life in it? 

At first, I didn't want to stick any more money into it--not even a service call that may or may not find a solution.

Well, the ball is rolling somewhere on our house project, but it's not rolling here yet.  And with a busy month of cooking and baking coming up, it was apparent that I wanted to do something besides stand in front of the sink. 

So, at the beginning of this week, I rationalized, (as I often do when it comes to spending money on myself), that I work hard around here and it was at least worth a shot.

Less than an hour later, I had it back! 

It really wasn't too bad, but if I have to choose, I will take the dishwasher any day.

The highlight reel, but still real

I have a confession to make.  (Well, nothing too earth-shattering, but still.)  I don't read many blogs.  The reason?  Blogs written by people don't know in real life tend to leave me feeling less than adequate.  If I know the writer, I know a few of their not-so-great moments and know they are human just like me.  I can appreciate their words.  But, if I don't, I can only assume the writer I only know through a blog lives the happy and charmed life portrayed in the always-positive posts.  Even though I know it, I FORGET

THIS IS THEIR HIGHLIGHT REEL.

 

What used to be reserved solely for Christmas letters can now be updated infinitely if the writer desires not only on a blog, but Facebook or Twitter or whatever.  (I still don't hashtag--I feel like I'm about 90 years old.)  I think there's even a coined term for this feeling of inadequacy--mom jealousy, or something like that.  

 

The best compliment I can receive as a blogger is that my blog is real or honest.  I don't want to portray some sort of perfect rural South Dakota existence.  If you think that we do live in a fairy tale, please come and visit.  After five minutes, your illusion will be shattered.  Guaranteed. :) 

 

But, there's a fine line when it comes to how much postive or negative to blog.  How real can/should I go?  Of course, I am not going to share anything too deeply personal for all the world to see.  (Not that I have any deep, dark secrets . . . unless the kids' bus drivers and teachers say otherwise!)  No one likes a Pollyanna, but no one likes a complainer, either.  Thanks to my genes, I wake up nearly every morning feeling nervous/anxious/worried for no reason and working out is my natural Zoloft. . . do people really want to read that?  Probably not.  Like everyone, I end most days stressed and needing to decompress . . . wondering if I planted any seeds in my children's lives that day.  I acknowledge that sometimes people can confuse sharing faith with preaching.  My faith is my foundation not because I am some holy person, but because I WANT to be.  To tell you the truth, I don't know how anyone could navigate this world without a faith life.  At least I can't.  And that's why I keep trudging on the faith journey and sharing it with you.

 

And, so, this blog will remain our family's highlight reel with a little real-ness mixed in.  Yes, my kids and I make real apple pies, but we eat plenty of hot dogs, too.  Yes, I have had the opportunity to be home with my children, but I have spent more days than I care to admit begrudging that I didn't have a job outside of home. 

 

I will continue to write is as I try to write our yearly Christmas letters--how I really try to live--acknowledging that our family faces adversity, but trying to concentrate on the blessings of life. 

 

Because none of us live a perfectly charmed life, no matter what impressions our blogs give.

 

But, we all are blessed--maybe in very different ways--but we are all BLESSED.

 

 

 

 

 



Just wanted to share . . .

 

We farm a field a couple of miles from our home and this gravel road runs beside it. 

I love to see this tree covered section all through the summer and fall.

In South Dakota, there aren't many places where trees canopy over roads.  Most of our trees are strategically planted in (boring, but functional) rows to slow the wind and protect our livestock.

 

That's why I love this natural little tunnel each time I visit.

No matter what the weather, it is always beautiful. 

Homecoming 2013

Last week's Homecoming festivities culminated (for our family anyway), with the always exciting Homecoming parade.  The Homecoming parade is one of those small-town traditions that I love.  I always have since I was a little girl on my class float, and even more when I was marching in the EHS band. 

 

Now it's our kids' turn to take part in the parade.  It had everything we needed.  A good looking and sounding band.  Just enough parade entries.  More than enough candy.  Even with just one candy catcher on the curb, we got more than we can eat before next 4th of July!

 

 

 

Follow up Friday

Time to follow up on a few experiments!

First of all, the diapers in the bottom of the hanging basket--flop.  They still dried up just as before.  The diapers, however, did capture the water.  I meant to take a photo, but I dumped them out before I thought of it.  Imagine completely dry flowers in drier dirt.

Second, the homemade toilet cleaner--meh.  It seemed to clean well enough, and I still like that the kids can use it, but I had a problem with the baking soda staying at the bottom of the squeeze bottle.  It worked the first few times to shake it, but after that it was stuck.  I might have to research another concoction, or just bottle up some dish soap, water, and vinegar for in-between scrubbings.

And, finally, I discovered that a generous splash of homemade vanilla is fabulous in homemade applesauce! 

Anything else you have been wondering about? 

Let me know and I'll follow it up!

Happy Friday.

Bilingual baby

Last night as we were listening to Rachel talk in her baby language, Nathan said,
"I think she is going to be a Spanish baby." 

I thought that was funny and explained that babies learn the language they hear.  Unfortunately for my babies, English is the only language they learn from me.  They have two aunts who are Spanish speakers, so maybe they will be fortunate pick up a little from them as they grow!

No, I don't think Rachel is bilingual, but she does have her own language for some things.  Shoes are still "Ah-boo."  One word that is always recognizable is "poop" and is always said after the fact.  I still consider this a blessing, however, as none of the others ever seemed to care what was in their diapers!  Maybe she will be trained before she is three, but I'm not making any predictions yet!

Soybean Harvest

 

We moved onto our soybean fields today!

So far so good.

It's always great being able to watch the combine from our window, even if it's just for a few hours in that field!

 

Rachel and I were going to go out and ride, but she decided a nap was a little more important.  I agreed.  I'm not sure what's up with her little attitude the past couple of days . . . are the 2's sneaking up on us?  :) 

 

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich with Daddy hit the spot tonight!

 

 

 

Over a month!

I can't believe we have been back to school for over a month. 

And, no, I still have not decorated for fall.  Sad, sad, sad. 

I've been more in organizing mode than decorating mode this past month.  The bathroom project will be done as soon as we get cabinets.  The good news is we DO have a second toilet once again.  Soon a second shower will follow. 

I've painted the girls' new room (current guest room) and their bunk beds should be arriving in a few weeks.  Then I will re-paint Teresa's room and change it back to the guest room!  Yes, we do like moving within our walls, and it's time to shake it up again! 

Rachel has discovered that if she had just a bit more momentum, she could step on my desk and propel herself out of her crib.  As soon as she works up the physical strength, she will be outta there.  She's probably doing chin ups right now.  Hurry up, bunk beds!

Before school started, I declared that nap time was returning to the Melius household and I would be partaking, but I've only taken a nap one afternoon.  (And then an unidentified someone called and woke me up without leaving a message . . . and I remembered why naps can be so frustrating.)

My naptime is always full of something . . . painting, Dakotafire, working outside, watching Rachael Ray.  The important things in life!

Now with harvest, our days are pretty much up in the air.  It's a good thing "flexible" is practically Rachel's middle name.  She just goes with the flow, and preferably that flow takes her to the combine or TRAC-TOR! 

We are always happy to see the Big 3 return from the school bus and we are busy again for the hours in between school and bedtime.  Thankfully, since their days are long anyway, none of them have had much homework. 

This week is Homecoming Week, which is always a fun break from the normal routine.  I'm thankful that the dress-up days are all easy this year.  I haven't had to scrounge up any pirate eye patches or anything else I generally don't have in my inventory!  Friday will bring the big parade and more CANDY!  (We already made quite a haul at the Schmeckfest Parade on Saturday!)   

And, so, that is what our life has entailed this past month.  It's been good.  No complaints from anyone. 

That's the key, I think.  To realize when it's good.

And be thankful for the good times.

Real apple pie

Landen requested a "real" apple pie this fall. 

 

A real apple pie (no canned filling allowed, only sliced apples will do), is something I also love, but don't make often.

 

 Tonight we made one COMPLETELY from scratch--crust and everything!  We admit it wouldn't win any beautiful pie contests, but it would sure be in the running for best tasting pie!

 

Got your PJs???

Here is a friendly reminder that September is CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS AWARENESS MONTH. :)

And, yes, I am still so very excited about what the Cranio Care Bears are doing for cranio children all over the world, though prayer, emotional support and sending care packages to these precious little ones. 

Cranio Care Bears are having a nationwide pajama drive through the end of September to give to babies and children undergoing craniosynostosis surgeries.  Front-closing pajamas are especially important in the weeks after surgery to avoid irritating their ear to ear incisions. 

I have been wondering for several days how I could best help the cause, and today Cranio Care Bears made it easy for me, and all of us who can help! 

A gift registry has been set up on Amazon.  For as little as $5.49 (+ shipping), you can order and send a pair of front-closing pajamas to a baby or child would would LOVE to receive them. 

http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3GB5RQBUMY6OP/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_ws_7fLosb01ZN7H3

For more information on the non-profit Cranio Care Bears and the pajama drive, you can visit www.craniocarebears.org.